Elanorsaid Yes, I really love the Jeeves one's; they were what I started out on, but now I've read all sorts of different one's, and I love them all. I actually enjoy the short stories the best; everything goes so wrong in the long one's, that it's almost painful.

Yeah, I know what you mean - you feel like leaping through the pages of the book sometimes and drumming a few things into some empty heads!!

I finished War and Peace last month, and despite it being a lovely book, I was glad to have it done.

I like that book too although it can take some getting through My sister took it on a long trip once and really enjoyed reading it too. I think Tolstoy has great characters, very lifelike and totally interesting - you never really know what they're going to do next!

*joins the group of people who hadn't heard about the new McKillip* But, hey, I usually get most of my book news from here, so...

*cheers both Fanny and flam on their recent book buys* I always love to hear about people's book bargains.

I've read Little Dorrit, but not Dombey and Son. What is it about?

I'm afraid I haven't done too much reading over the past semester, mainly light and fluffy YA books of varying quality and enjoyability. But, I just started Hard Times by Charles Dickens, so hopefully that'll somewhat make up for it. I'm not very far yet, and I'm rather dubious, but it's interesting.

I'm also reading Guns of Thunder by Douglas Bond. I'm not as intrigued by it as I was by his Covenanter books, but I've only just started. I do love his description of the great-great-aunt who became outraged at the visiting preacher who proclaimed that people had to be completely practical and scientific when reading the Bible---her family had to drag her away at the end when she was scolding and reciting Bible verses at him to show him wrong.

I'm about 11 or 12 chapters into Great Expectations. I haven't been reading it as much since I started Jane Eyre, but I shall be getting back to it. I don't find Dickens' books the easiest to read. Like people were saying on the previous page, I'm finding I kind of have to be in the mood for it in order to get anywhere with reading it. I have a habit of being a speed reader and I can't really do that with Dickens. I shall have to come back with a full review once I finish.

I read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie this morning. I know that it's considered one of her best mysteries, but I didn't find it all that impressive. Yes the solution was unexpected, but it was also rather far-fetched and not clear cut at all. The murderer's motive was also weak, at best. I prefer mysteries where the criminal has a definite motive for choosing that particular target (revenge, money, etc.), rather than randomly selecting people to fulfill a psychological somethin'-ruther.

--- flambeau

That was the first Agatha Christie I ever read. It was very suspenseful and got me started with Christie novels, so I have a soft spot for it. I've only read about ten other Christie's so far, but next up are Death in the Clouds and The body in the Library. I'm looking forward to both.

Christie's best is still The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in my opinion. That one had an unexpected ending, but it was still plausible and understandable. I consider it to be the best mystery I have ever read.

--- flambeau

I'll have to read that one next.

*sighs at the mention of Geoffrey Trease* Every time someone mentions him I get very sad that my library system doesn't have any of his books. It's probably time to check again and hope that things have changed...

waggawerewolf, you wouldn't happen to know if anyone has written a book about travelling through England visiting literary sights like Anna Quindlen's Imagined London?

No, unfortunately the status quo won't change. I loved Geoffrey Trease, but he was most definitely a British writer at a time in World History when the British publishing industry reigned supreme in Australia, keeping out the American publishing industry. I agree we Aussies did have children's books of our own, including Ethel Turner's Seven Little Australians, or Mary Grant Bruce's Billabong series, Dot and the Kangaroo, May Gibbs' Gumnut babies, Blinky Bill and Norman Lindsay's Magic Pudding. Do you in USA have something like Trove, which shows where old books might be available nationally?

Whilst responding to your post, I learned that some of the books Geoffrey Trease wrote, The Hills of Varna, even had different titles in USA, if they were published there. These are old books from the 1950's and the only reason why we added 'Crown of Violet' to our easy reader collection, is because in a book-buying expedition some years ago, I happened to see it in a specialist English Language bookshop and grabbed it with glee. Easy readers are novels adapted for those with difficulty in reading or with English as a second language and are sometimes accompanied by CD's to help the reader along. Sometimes if short of time, it is more fun reading these, rather than the full volume.

As for the trip, the whole of UK is a historian's and a book lovers' paradise. I don't know of anyone else who has written a book about literary UK, apart from the lady you mentioned. But to book a trip there and look at the brochures, it is easy to find places associated with some of the better known authors. Not only in London. It is a fantastic idea to visit York, especially the Shambles, and the little museums installed in the city walls, in the barbicans. There are things I would have liked to have done, such as visiting Alnwyck Castle which is the film model for HP's Hogwarts, or the Brontë Parsonage museum at Haworth in Yorkshire. But I did get to see the platform 9 3/4 sign at Kings Cross Station, and in the north of Scotland, we also visited Robert Louis Stevenson's haunts. And don't forget the Lakes District, the site for Geoffrey Trease's Cue for Treason.

The Town and Gown Evans tour we took in London to visit both Oxford and Cambridge mentioned both C.S.Lewis and Tolkien, as well as Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. They also mentioned sites in Oxford, such as the King's Arms, related to Inspector Morse, a favourite UK TV detective series. C.S. Lewis worked in Magdalen (pronounced Maudlin) college in Oxford, and then transferred to Magdalen College in Cambridge. We didn't go to either Magdalen College, unfortunately, but the brochure certainly mentioned C.S.Lewis, as did the tour guide, and I'm sure there are locally managed tours which could take you to the Kilns where C.S.Lewis used to live.

Go to see Madame Tussaud's in Marylebone Street in London, and down the road is a statue dedicated to Sherlock Holmes. And it is possible to do tours visiting Jack the Ripper's haunts. That particular tour took us around London's less salubrious haunts, including Smithfield, the Old Bailey (where my ancestors did look such swells. ), Edgeware Road, not far from where Tyburn used to be, plus more salubrious parts of London, such as Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Bayswater and Kensington.

I am so glad that in the limited time I could spend overseas I managed to see as much as what I did manage. I've been to Buckingham Palace, to Westminster Abbey and to Windsor Castle. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm not up to writing of my travels: maybe someone else can organise something along those lines. And may my good wishes go with them.

*see's talk about Agatha Christie* I've only read one of her books, but I found it so, so thrilling. It was so suspenseful, and had a completely unexpected and surprising ending. It was magnificent. (and yes, I'm not saying the name because I can't remember it. ).

As for current reads, I am currently working on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Both authors have different styles that I haven't read much of before so it is interesting to do so!

Great Expectations was one of my least favorite Dickens books; I'm not sure, it just didn't strike me at all. Just kind of bla. And Jane Eyre; well, that's just a stunning, wonderful, amazing, book.

Oh no, it was my second. It is just that I started it last July, so having any book on the go for ten months is not something I like doing.

I can definitely understand that. I don't think I could stick with a book that long; I'm impressed!

Yeah, I know what you mean - you feel like leaping through the pages of the book sometimes and drumming a few things into some empty heads!!

I know!! And it's all so predictable. "Well, that horrible thing is going to happen now".

I've read Little Dorrit, but not Dombey and Son. What is it about?

Ooh . . Dickens are hard to explain. Mostly about a cold, hard hearted man and his daughter, who he neglects and - almost hates. She's really sweet, of course, and loves him, but he won't give in. So . . well, a lot of other things are mixed in, but I can't really say many of them without giving away the plot. It's really good!!

I just finished reading a book called "Invasion" by Jon S. Lewis. Its about aliens, and flying motorcycles! It was an amazing book. Has anyone else read it yet?

Waggawerewolf said

I agree we Aussies did have children's books of our own, including Ethel Turner's Seven Little Australians, or Mary Grant Bruce's Billabong series, Dot and the Kangaroo, May Gibbs' Gumnut babies, Blinky Bill and Norman Lindsay's Magic Pudding.

I LOVE Mary Grant Bruce's books - they are so great!!!! I've been collecting them for 3-4 years now and all my brothers and sisters love them as well. I'm a big fan of Ethel Turner too and have read "Seven Little Australians" heaps of times together with the sequels and her other books. They are really great reads!!

And Then There Where None had a great premise but I thought the actual story was rather average. I too loved The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Try The Big Four if you want something a little different. It's very good!

Currently, I'm reading the last half of Heaven by Randy Alcorn. It's a great book. Biblically sound, hugely thought-provoking. It's written in largely non-academic language for which I am very thankful. Still, the book is a slow read because there's so much to take in, so much to reflect on and reassess beliefs on Heaven, in light of God's Word. The subject is covered in great detail (the book is about 500 pages long). There's quite a bit of repitivity at times, but I guess that's the nature of having such a large book centred around everything to do with Heaven.

Thank-you so much, Eowyn of Lanternwaste and Mal!! That takes a load off, and now I can't wait to read the book after my sister's through with it. So Dostoyevsky's books are dark, but there isn't anything in it that if you read it either would be really disturbing/wierd pattern of thought?

And thank-you, Eowyn and Mel for the reccomendation of the Eagle of the Ninth. I will definitely check that out when I can.

Mel, I wanted to ask, about The Man Who Was Thursday--

Hurrah for your book hauls, Flam and Fanny!!
I loooove books in thrift stores, too, Flam. They're so wonderfully cheap and in great condition most of the time!

Warrior, I agree--I was extremely pleased with what I read of Heaven. And, right, it's so deep yet simply put. Unfortunately, it was due before I could finish it... but I would refer to the back pages often and really enjoyed the Q/A there. I appreciate that he has several people read his books and then compare it with the Bible to make it as Biblically accurate as possible.

*see's talk about Agatha Christie* I've only read one of her books, but I found it so, so thrilling. It was so suspenseful, and had a completely unexpected and surprising ending. It was magnificent. (and yes, I'm not saying the name because I can't remember it. ).

A lot of Agatha Christie books are great My personal favourites are the "Tommy and Tuppence" books (can't remember the names Oh, one is called "By the Pricking of My Thumb" I think and I've gotten up to have a look in the bookcase... the other one is called The Secret Adversary, there is a third but I can't remember it and I don' seem to see it in the bookcase. Another good one that has been mentioned is Death in the Clouds. I liked Roger Ackroyd too and the Big Four was also good. I actually prefer her books that don't have Miss Marple or Hercule Peroit in it. I find Hercule a bit of a pain sometimes and at least for me her books aren't as interesting with him in it. Oh, another good one is Ordeal by Innocence

"Aslanisthebest" said

Thank-you so much, Eowyn of Lanternwaste and Mal!! That takes a load off, and now I can't wait to read the book after my sister's through with it. So Dostoyevsky's books are dark, but there isn't anything in it that if you read it either would be really disturbing/wierd pattern of thought?

I'm glad to be of help How is your sister liking the book?

Bella,

Hurray! Do let us know what you think of it, and the other two, of course. I haven't read the other two, altho' I think I read an abridged version of the latter at some point or other.

I read it yesterday and really liked it! Verne has a very interesting and entertaining writing style that I enjoy reading. I read Journey to the Center of the Earth last weekend, I think, and enjoyed that one as well.

I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie about a year ago. I wasn't expecting the ending to twist like it did (as I recall it was quite abrupt), but I liked it for the surprise.

Spoiler

When the one character you expect to be good and least expect to be the murderer IS, (and there were either no or very subtle hints to it throughout the whole book), I call that a surprise!

That's exactly why I love it!

@ Valia, you were the one who recommended that I read To Kill a Mockingbird, correct? Well, I read it just a few days ago and thought it was excellent. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still very good; the characters were all real, and I think that

That was the first Agatha Christie I ever read. It was very suspenseful and got me started with Christie novels, so I have a soft spot for it. I've only read about ten other Christie's so far, but next up are Death in the Clouds and The body in the Library. I'm looking forward to both.

Granted, ATTWN is an interesting read, but for me to enjoy a murder mystery it has to have more than a series of unsolved deaths. There must be a motive (a reason for the death), and there must be justice in the end. ATTWN had neither.

I'll have to read that one next.

You won't regret it.

Spoiler

I read in the back that there is some allegory in it, of Sunday--that maybe it's God/nature/whatever/both. The thinking behind that didn't seem from a Christian perspective, and from my understanding, Chesterton was a Biblically sound guy? So..my question.. if there is any analogy in the book, who is Sunday supposed to represent? Because, I was getting a little iffy when I read it could be God, considering he runs that from all aspects dangerous place... Or is there no allegory? I was just curious of the meaning behind the book, because I don't want to glean off the wrong idea or something. :S

Chesterton talks about TMWWT in his autobiography. According to what he said there,

I just started Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell at Kate's recommendation. I'm three chapters in, so far, so don't expect a review for a few more days.

--- flambeau

Mel, The Man Who Was Thursday is like my sister's all time favorite book! I keep hearing about it, I seriously need to read it sometime. It's high on my list of books to read. It's by G. K. Chesterton, right?

I'm currently reading Lawhead's King Raven Trilogy and I am loving it!! I read the first two books of his Pendragon Cycle and they were pretty good, but I personally love this series and I think it's much better, definitely the best version of Robin Hood ever written.

I've also been re-reading a bunch of old fairy tales. For creative writing we're trying to rewrite a fairy tale...so far I haven't decided which one I want to rewrite. But I really like the one fairy tale, East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon.

*looks forward to hearing what flam has to say about JS&MN*

Yep, The Man Who Was Thursday is by Chesterton. (And, Ruby, if you do rewrite East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon, I begs, I pleads, I implores! for you to send me a copy. It's one of my favourites too. )